2018 Tiger Mailbag: 27th Edition

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GD: Usually when I get this question, I just go with the best player regardless of position. In football, I've usually gone with a quarterback. But we probably have to adjust things this year and go with where the rosters are most deficient. We'll start with football and that definitely isn't at QB. I think you'd look at three spots: A big-time No. 1 wide receiver, a big-time pass rusher or a shutdown corner. To be honest, I'm not sure Missouri's really had a shutdown corner in my lifetime. It's tempting to put Jeremy Maclin or somebody like that out there for Drew Lock to throw to, but I'm going to augment the pass rush. Give me Justin Smith and line him up at defensive end. Justin Smith next to Terry Beckner Jr? I'd take that line as the best in the league even in the big, bad SEC.

In hoops, this team actually has two really good big men, so I don't worry about that as much. The obvious answer is point guard. I think if Phil Pressey was on this team, he'd have a billion assists and Jeremiah Tilmon would never have to take a shot longer than two feet. But Pressey wasn't a great shooter. I want a guy who can handle the ball, but who can also knock it down. My first instinct was to go with Jon Sundvold and let him play in the three-point era. But I just can't go against Anthony Peeler. AP on the floor with two 6-10 guys? I think he'd do all right.

GD: I think it's very possible they get quite a few guys coming out of Night at the Zou at the end of the month. Will they get seven? I'm not sure it will be quite that many. But a lot of kids do want to make a decision before their senior season and get recruiting out of the way before they focus on winning games. Let's set the over/under by the start of fall camp at 8.5 commits (total, not additional). So I guess I'm saying they'll get four or five, but I'm really not ready to say who they are. I think Charles Njoku is probably one. I think Missouri is still in very good shape with Marcus Washington and Ira Henry, but I'm just not sure how soon they'll be ready to end the process.

As far as Texas guys, Mizzou had ten last year. The Tigers have one right now. They'll get more, but I don't think they reach double digits.

GD: In order--

There's no great story behind McKernan dubbing me "The Colonel." None of us understand how Tim's mind works. It started when we worked at KOMU together and he kept it up. I don't really know how or why it started.

I'd rather cover a Final Four from a personal standpoint. But for business purposes, a college football playoff appearance would be better.

Four years ago, I'd have said a Royals championship without hesitation. But I've seen that. So I guess for now I'll go with a Chiefs Super Bowl...but I wouldn't enjoy that nearly as much as I did the 2015 World Series or even the 2014 pennant.

First off, I'm not qualified to do Rex Hudler's job in any way, shape or form. The better analogy is if the Kansas City Star wanted me to cover the Royals. I probably wouldn't do it for quite a few reasons. First of all, baseball beat writer is the toughest job in all of sports media. You're spending probably 100-125 nights a year on the road when you include spring training and that might not even include any potential playoff games. It's a ton of long days and late nights. Plus, yeah, I don't want to cover the Royals. I just want to watch them and bitch and tweet sarcastically. I can't do that if I cover them.

GD: If you're ready to give up on a recruiting class on the Fourth of July, I can't talk you out of it and you're not really looking for a logical, reasoned answer, anyway. There's a lot of time. That said, Missouri has four commits and the last month has mostly consisted of guys that took official visits in June committing other places. So don't take my first sentence as telling you there's no reason at all to worry. If you're not at least a little bit concerned, you're simply not being honest. There are still a lot of Plan A guys out there for Missouri and I'm willing to wait and see how they do with them. But when only two or three Power Five programs in the country have fewer commitments, I do understand why people are concerned. Let's talk in a month. If more of their top targets go elsewhere and they haven't replaced them with what seem to be equal level guys, then it will be time to be a little bit more concerned. Until then, I'll fall back on something that I think about 10 times a year: I don't know how fans who follow recruiting every single day cope with the emotional roller coaster on which they live.

GD: It makes sense for us to conduct interviews and make contact during the dead period because things can still happen during the dead period and it is our job to follow what happens in recruiting. Let me state this in no unequivocal terms: It is not our job in any way, shape or form to recruit for Missouri. It is our job to cover the process, not to be involved in it. Not in any way. Ever. I'll never do it. If I find out someone who works for me is doing it, they will not work for me by that time the following day. I do not work for Mizzou. I do not recruit for Mizzou. We do stories about the kids Mizzou is recruiting. That is it. It matters not to me whether kids are thinking about Mizzou and talking about them or not. If they are, we will do stories on them. If they are not, we will move on to recruits that are.

GD: Joe is good. I was in touch with him last week. He will begin writing for us weekly again the second week in August. He needs to recoup the thousands of dollars he spent in Iceland this summer.

GD: I have no affiliation with said Twitter account. I am somewhat flattered it exists. I've always thought that having a fake Twitter account about you is a sign that you matter in the world in 2018 (joking...mostly). That said, I'm not a fan of that Twitter account--or any others--bashing high school kids. And if you think there is nobody who believes that account is run by myself and/or Dave Matter and is a legitimate Mizzou media account then you haven't read my mentions.

GD: I guarantee you other schools are telling kids "He isn't gonna be there by the time you finish playing." Guarantee it. In fact, I was told of one prospect who was told that specifically. So, yeah, it might be a factor. As far as your last sentence, yes, he needs to win this year. I've set the bar at eight games. To me, that's the bar for "it's obvious this thing is moving forward and he deserves a few more years to show he's the guy." Next year will almost certainly be worse than this one. So if you have an eight or nine win season in the bank as equity, you can handle a step back. If you win six or seven games with a Heisman candidate at QB and a potential first round pick at DT and you know you're taking a step back next year, this won't be a comfortable few weeks after the season for Odom. But let me make one other thing clear: He's not going to get fired based on the 2019 recruiting class and what it is projected to be. He's going to get fired (or not) based on how many games he wins. The last three recruiting classes haven't been highly ranked. I can tell you the staff loves them. They think they've got guys they can go win with in the SEC. We'll find out this year if they're right and if they will get the chance over the next couple of years to continue proving it. But it won't be a factor what the commit list looks like when Jim Sterk makes that ultimate call.

GD: See above. If he wins eight, I have no doubt. If he wins seven, I think he'll be back, but I would understand those who didn't agree with it. It has nothing to do with how many commitments he has on the Fourth of July. Nothing.

GD: Not many. First, I'd puke the first time I dunked a hot dog bun in water and tried to eat it. Soggy bread is foul. Second, I don't want to just cram as much food in my gullet as I can in a short period of time. If I prepared for it, I could get to double digit hot dogs and I would immediately hate myself afterwards. I'll say I might be able to get down a dozen, then I'd probably vomit and would absolutely not eat another hot dog for at least a calendar year. As far as the contest, I have no idea who will win. I probably won't watch it. It's fascinating, but also makes me feel a little bit ill.

GD: If I never had to appear on another sports talk show, I'd take it. Nothing against the hosts, a lot of them are friends, but the gig doesn't pay well. That said, if I could only pick one, I'd go with the Morning After. I've known Tim for almost 25 years and he's a friend. Plus, those guys make me laugh at least once every time I'm on.

GD: Satellite camps are still a thing, they just don't really seem to be called satellite camps. Mega camp seems to be the preferred term these days. Mizzou was in three this year. They were part of camps at William Jewell, Pitt State and Lindenwood. The last two had multiple Division One coaching staffs. They're run by the host school, but the other programs join in. It helps both. More kids come when big programs are there and the bigger staffs can get a look at some guys that might not come to their campus for a camp or an unofficial visit. They do still exist, but schools don't seem to be traveling as far to do them. The first year of satellite camps, we had guys cover a couple of them out of state and they were such a mess they weren't worth it. There were 600 kids, 30 coaching staffs and it was impossible to know who was looking at who. And I talked to coaches who said they were a waste of time from their standpoint as well.